6-Year-Old Started Charity After Brother's Death, Now Global

When Ben Cucci was just six years old, he discovered something powerful about grief: sometimes healing comes from helping others.

After losing his younger brother Nathan, Ben wanted to honor him in a meaningful way. He started by donating Nathan's diapers to other babies in the NICU where his brother had been.

That simple gesture became the foundation for Nathan's Butterflies, an organization dedicated to spreading kindness worldwide. Ben found that each small act of generosity helped ease his pain and made the loss feel a little more bearable.

"My brother passed, and I found that when we did smaller acts of kindness, it helped ease the pain and helped me feel better," Ben said. "So we figured that would help other kids too."

The organization marked Random Acts of Kindness Day this week by continuing its mission in Binghamton, New York. What started as one boy's way of coping has grown into something much bigger.

Frances Biowell, who works with the organization, says Nathan's Butterflies now promotes acts of kindness for kids of all ages. The focus is particularly on children who have experienced loss, giving them a healthy outlet for grief.

The Ripple Effect

Nearly ten years after Ben made that first donation, Nathan's Butterflies has touched lives far beyond New York. The organization has reached families across continents, including supporters in Australia who connect through social media.

The charity proves that age is no barrier to making a difference. Ben was in first grade when he started helping others, showing that even the youngest among us can create meaningful change.

Every act of kindness the organization inspires carries Nathan's memory forward. Ben transformed his darkest moment into a light for others facing similar pain.

Nathan's Butterflies shows us that healing and helping can walk hand in hand, one small kindness at a time.